Ok gotta get this started. Today’s pic was taken by one of my friend’s at my mom’s apartment where we play cards once a week. The outfit is all black so you can’t tell where the top ends and the pants begin. Too funny. The top is another thrift store find . It is a long top that looks like two pieces but is one. Nice for a day you just want comfy. It had gold buttons, so wore all gold tone accessories. Had to wear store jewelry instead of what I make with this one. I need to tell you all how humbled I am by the response I have gotten since I started this endeavor. I think about how I might help , motivate, and inspire, 24/7. My heart has never felt so full. I feel like I have a purpose, maybe for the first time in my life, one that is important. So know I take every blog post seriously. Lots of people want to know what I did food wise to lose my weight. I have to eat somewhat differently now because I can’t actually lose anymore, so I will try and give you a look into what I did during the weight loss phase of my journey. This all started because of a really bad set of numbers in my blood work last November and became a wake up call for me. I was at the highest weight I had ever been , and the Type Two Diabetes, Triglycerides, and Cholesterol results were all terrible. Had to go on some meds and as soon as I got them I went about changing everything. So my diet had to take many , sometimes felt like too many, things into consideration. I would look for everything that had the best numbers for sugar, carbs, and fat. One of the biggest things I did was to have a really big helping of salad that I would make every 2-3 days , at least once a day. This was not a hardship for me and I always looked forward to it. Think I said in one of my first blogs what all I put in it. I would usually eat one larger meal and a couple smaller ones., the steamer pot that we keep on our stove was my best friend and still use it for all my cooked vegetables and when I steam my hamburg. I think I explained that before too, but you can message me if you need to know more about that. I try to use whole wheat or whole grains breads and wraps. I would usually have some kind of wrap as part of my lighter meal along with maybe a vegetable. If anyone has an Aldi’s they have two great wraps that are whole wheat or whole grain. They are only 90 and 100 calories . I made a mean chicken salad wrap. Ate that quite often. I found a product that I used in place of butter or margarine. It’s called Earth Balance and it’s actually a vegan product, but it melts like butter where other products don’t. I used to only find it in Wegman’s but now other places are carrying it. I use Hellman’s light Mayo in place of regular. I never use fat free products because they almost always contain more sugar. My main meal usually consisted of my large salad, a meat serving, and one or two steamed vegetables or sometimes a potato and a vegetable. I love cauliflower, broccoli,Brussel sprouts , cabbage, carrots , green beans and in garden season, nothing is better than fresh beets. Learn to use seasonings and use them liberally. They make all the difference. . Salsa’s make a great condiment for meats. Excellent numbers there on all fronts. Weight Watchers has Pepper Jack Cheese Slices I like to use just by itself sometimes when I’m in a hurry and need a little protein. They are quite tasty. When I use cheese products I try to find the two percent kind. The only product that I use fat free, is milk. For a diabetic it is better to use whole fruits not juices, because juice has a large amount of sugar grams per serving versus the fruit itself. I love all types of berries. They’re my favorite fruits except for pineapple , which has a higher sugar content. When it comes to snacks I use single size servings of sugar free puddings , jello, and a light cinnamon applesauce. I get the sugar free cool whip as a topping for some of them. One snack I love is a popcorn called skinny popcorn. Love the white cheddar variety. Popsicle makes these really great sugar free pops with the an ice cream type center. Tasty and real low calorie. For those of you that like hot dogs, Ballpark makes a great smoked white turkey hotdog,( healthier, way less calories, and pretty good tasting). Again some type of salsa makes a good condiment with them. There are a couple restaurants that you can go out and not get too far off track. Applebees has Weight Watcher Entrees and some under 550 calorie entrees. Perkins has some great fit fare offerings. Things don’t have to be complicated dishes. Simple is better and learning how to use seasonings can make a big difference. I love a flavored water product called Sparkling Ice. So many delicious flavors, and contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Hope you all will find this blog post to be helpful on your own journey. Being able to help so many people in so many places is the most rewarding thing I have ever experienced in my entire life. You are helping me as much as I am helping you. It is an awesome feeling to have found a calling and purpose at the age I am now. What a blessing. Life is full of surprises and sometimes they are actually good ones. Have a blessed and fruitful day. Now get out there and move those feet!!!! Till next time.